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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by MP173 I was really hoping to be there, particularly less than an hour from home, but other things were calling for my attention. I just dont see how short lines can continue to survive, based on little or no investment in the property. The entire cycle of the line seems to be (and I use my hometown line as an example) that at one time the line is fairly well maintained, but with old rail and as the line falls more and more into disrepair, the service suffers, which is a never ending cycle. Traffic begins to dry up, meaning less money for on going maintennace, etc. Finally the railroad sells it to a short line...at which time the trains bounce along at 10mph till it is time to pull up the tracks. Sad. Unless there is a strategic reason for lines, we will find more and more of this occuring. I am amazed the average age of Trains subscribers is 70. Ouch. ed [/quote] Ed- Short lines operate in the way they do because that is what is required to make money. Short lines spun off from Class 1s almost always have traffic levels that are too low to support maintenance of the line as an ongoing concern. This requires the short line operator to grow the traffic to survive and often means that, at least initially, maintenance money (and all other funding) is very tight. Also, as the short line rarely receives the line in high quality condition. On the other hand, short lines rarely need high speed track. Ten miles per hour is more than adequate to get the train from one end of the line to the other (and in some cases back to interchange) within the hours of service. As Class1s rarely service interchanges more than daily such a hurry would have no purpose. The preservation of the line in operating condition, even at ten miles per hour preserves much of the operating assets including rail, crossties, OTM grade and subgrade and most importantly the legal continuation of the railroad ROW. The growth of traffic and hopefully presence of competitive Class 1 interchanges coupled with some public assistance to account for at least some deferred maintenance (and hopefully 286K capacity in the future) assures more rail served areas for businesses to locate and to maintain the industrial base of our country. LC
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